


it's not just puppy love

by MegTheMighty



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Dogs, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Inspired by 101 Dalmatians, and into ponds, meet cute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:15:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25695655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MegTheMighty/pseuds/MegTheMighty
Summary: An impromptu walk in the park leads overworked journalist Roy Mustang and his dog straight to the loves of their lives. They quickly learn that love requires work, patience, understanding—and apparently falling into a pond.
Relationships: Riza Hawkeye/Roy Mustang
Comments: 15
Kudos: 39





	1. an introduction at the park

**Author's Note:**

> I recently watched my childhood favorite, 101 Dalmatians, and couldn't stop thinking about Royai during the opening scene. What's a girl to do but write an AU?

The clacking of Roy’s typewriter filled his apartment, a constant reminder of his incessant work. Sometimes he would sit down at his desk and write for hours, refusing to take a break. He could produce dozens of stories, knowing the editor would probably only accept one or two. Life as a journalist was subject to that kind of rejection yet he remained determined to write anything and everything the public deserved to read. Madame Christmas would tell him to get out and clear his head, but visiting her crowded bar only seemed to encourage his ambitions. He got most of his scoops on stories from her, after all.

Roy took a moment to glance around the room; his place was a mess. There were random papers strewn across the floor, forgotten first drafts that he would never hand in. A whole stack of projects he had procrastinated on sat underneath his desk. He also hadn’t dusted in a long time, and suspected that might have something to do with his worsening allergies.

The only thing that seemed clean was the snow white dog curled up in front of the wide bay windows, aptly named Yuki. Roy had found her in an alley close to his building, and took her home once he realized she was a stray. He had always been fond of dogs and figured he was ready to take care of one on his own. When he was growing up, Madame Christmas always claimed that he couldn’t take care of a pet if he couldn’t take care of himself, but since adopting Yuki he had actually significantly improved his self-sufficiency. 

Roy returned to his work for a while, before hearing her let out a long whine. She had been looking out the window and probably just saw another animal, so he ignored it. Yuki whined again, upset that her master was missing the very important sight right outside their window. It wasn’t until she scratched at the glass that he turned around. 

“Stop that,” he ordered. Roy picked her up from the window seat and set her back on the ground, trying to make it clear that she couldn’t damage his property. Yuki, however, took it as a sign that he was willing to pay attention to her, and dashed toward the front door. Roy sighed, seeing that she was pawing at her leash. “Not now.”

Yuki’s insistent barking quickly convinced him; he had gotten in trouble with neighbors before about her barking, and rather than teaching her to stay quiet, he had found it easier to simply go along with what she wanted. Once Roy got the leash attached to her collar and the door half-opened, he was being pulled down the stairs and out into the street. Yuki turned in the opposite direction of their usual walks, but Roy barely noticed as he tried to maintain some semblance of control. She was dragging him along, and it was all he could do to not run into the strangers on the street. Yuki paid no attention to the pedestrians, even the ones with dogs of their own, which was highly unusual.

Roy felt lucky he had already been wearing a sweater as the wind nipped at him. Even as the sun was shining, the coldness from the last few days of winter was hanging on. He just couldn’t wait for spring to finally come; it was by far the best season, with new life and more warmth clearing away the snow of the last few months.

He eventually realized that the turns they had taken were leading to the nearest park. They didn’t often go there because Roy was still working on Yuki’s behavioral training, and didn’t want her running off or getting into a fight with another dog. As quiet as the park seemed in the early afternoon hours, Roy figured he could afford to chance a short walk around. He didn’t have much choice anyway, as Yuki continued her sprint toward the gates.

* * *

Riza belatedly thought that she should have changed before taking Black Hayate to the park. She had been at work since the early hours of the morning, and her oxford heels were starting to make her feet ache. When Mayor Bradley told her she could have the rest of the day off after lunch, she had rushed home and decided to take Hayate out since they had missed their typical morning walk. Now she was regretting not taking the opportunity to get rid of her professional clothing.

It didn’t seem like that would be too much of an issue though, as Hayate seemed content at the moment to take a leisurely walk. Once she swung open the gate at the entrance to the park, Riza leaned down to take the leash off his collar. He was trained very well, and she only ever kept him on a lead for the sake of other pedestrians, in case they were scared of dogs (which she had never understood, but learned to respect due to the intense phobia from one of her coworkers).

While Hayate trotted down toward an open green area, Riza found a bench where she could set her purse down. She grabbed the rubber ball she kept in there, and tossed it for him to chase after. The bench was comfortable enough, and she was able to settle into it while he continued to run around. Her daily planner needed updating, so she set to work at jotting down a few meetings for the next week and crossing out the tasks she and the mayor had completed.

Hayate dropped the ball at her feet and walked away, apparently done with running around. Riza produced a small treat from her bag as well, tossing it high enough for him to jump and catch it. He trotted down toward the sidewalk path that bordered the large pond, and while she wasn’t worried about him running off, she still decided to follow along. There was no one else in the area as she looked around; the nearest person seemed to be a young man being pulled around by his own dog near the entrance. Riza figured he had more to worry about than stealing her purse, so she left it on the bench.

“What are you looking for, boy?” Hayate was peering into the water, probably entranced by a fish swimming below the surface. Riza knew she might sound crazy talking to her dog like he was a regular person, but she didn’t mind. She liked to think that Hayate appreciated her words even if he didn’t understand them. A high pitched bark sounded from just behind them, pulling Riza’s attention away. 

“Stop! Yuki!” 

The young man she noticed before was a few paces away, trying his best to hold onto the leash that was pulled taut. His dog reached Riza’s feet, and she bent down to let her sniff around. She was hoping the poor thing would calm down once she realized there were no more treats, assuming that’s what the white ball of energy was after. 

Apparently Riza was not the main point of interest for the other dog; she quickly turned her attentions to Hayate, still standing diligently by her side. Hayate started sniffing back and soon they both seemed to decide that the other wasn’t a threat.

“I’m so sorry,” the man said. 

Riza turned back to him with a small smile, waving him off. She thought for a moment that he was actually pretty handsome. “Don’t worry.”

Yuki seemed to remember him at that moment, and circled back behind Riza and toward her owner. She looked down and saw the leash wrapped around her legs, and started to step out of the loop it had formed. Hayate chose that moment to bark playfully, beckoning Yuki in a circle back toward him. The leash tightened around Riza’s legs before she could move, pulling her closer to the man. Her hands instinctively went to his shoulders to steady them.

“I’m really sorry,” he repeated quickly. His face was red with embarrassment. “She’s not usually like this.”

He tried to take a step to regain their balance, but it only pulled them both to the side as they were tethered together. Her heel started to sink into the ground, and she faintly noticed that they had moved off the paved path. Yuki kept pulling as she tried to play with Hayate, forcing them even closer. Riza saw the lead strapped around his wrist, and realized he could just unwrap them from his end. 

“Here, let me just unhook her for a moment,” he said. He started to lean down toward the white dog, managing to twist around to grab her collar. 

“Wait, don’t-”

“Got it!” he exclaimed as he pulled the opposite end of the leash away from his dog. Not realizing it was still pulled taut between his hands and wrapped around their legs, he tried to take a step away. Riza’s eyes widened.

“Wait!” 

Before she could stop him, they were stumbling again. This time, neither regained their balance. Riza watched as the man fell backward into the pond and she was pulled along with him, her hands at his shoulders and his scrambling for her waist. She felt the cold water hit her face and soak into her clothes. It took a moment for her to regain control before she was desperately trying to get back up. 

“Here, let me,” he offered. She was practically on top of him, making it impossible for him to stand. Still, he kept trying to help her back up, only leading him to sink back further into the mud. Riza watched in horror as Hayate leapt into the water after her, thinking she needed saving. Eventually, she pushed back at the man’s shoulder, forcing him to let her go so she could get up herself. She trudged out of the water, her shoes still sinking into the wet mud. 

Riza took a moment to breathe before she turned back around. At first when they had been clumsily tied together, she tried to think of the whole situation as funny, maybe even cute. But now, her day off was ruined by this man, and she was ready to tell him off for being an imcompetent idiot. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded. Confusion spread across his face as he tried to reattach the leash to the dog in front of him. 

“You’re going to steal my dog too?” she asked in annoyance. In his attempt at heroics, Hayate had become covered in mud, leading to his colored markings being hidden. The man glanced back toward the sidewalk, where his perfectly clean, white dog sat waiting.

“Oh,” he said simply, releasing Hayate’s collar. He trotted back to stand beside Riza, his tail wagging out of excitement at the unexpected swim. 

“I’m Roy, by the way,” he introduced as he rejoined her on land. She only huffed in response, and he supposed he deserved that. Riza started to peel off her blazer, hoping it would dry off a bit before she had to drag herself back home.

“Uh, miss…”

“What?” she snapped. 

“It’s just, your shirt, it sort of-” 

He was gesturing toward her vaguely while looking away, and she looked down to see that her white shirt had become practically see through. 

“Oh God,” she muttered, turning away and quickly pulling her blazer back on. Riza was absolutely mortified. 

She turned to face Roy again, determined to grab her things and leave with some dignity intact. But when she saw him standing there, with his hair plastered to his forehead, his whole body covered in mud and grime, and two dogs happily wagging their tails next to him, she had to stifle a laugh. 

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

“Nothing, nothing. You just look ridiculous. Your hair-”

“My hair? You should see yours!” he laughed. 

Riza realized half of her wet hair had fallen out of its clip anyway, so she simply let it all fall down. She returned to the bench and shoved the clip into her purse. She also grabbed the leash and called for Hayate to come. Roy was following behind her a bit, as Yuki continued to pull toward her new friend. Riza stopped and waited for him to catch up and he gave her a curious look.

“I don’t want her pulling you into traffic after us or anything,” she explained. 

“Of course,” he replied sheepishly.

They both squeezed some water out of their clothes, but it seemed futile considering they were completely soaked, through and through. Every time the wind blew, they both shuddered. As they made it to the gate that marked the exit of the park, she groaned.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. “I mean, besides the obvious.”

She chuckled lightly, but it sounded hollow. “It’s just going to be a long walk home.”

“Let me at least get you a cab, you shouldn’t be walking across the city like this.”

“I don’t think any drivers want me in their cabs, much less with Hayate.”

She sighed again and started to walk away. Hayate hesitated, looking back at the man and his dog. Roy felt guilt wash over him, knowing that even if she wasn’t as upset with him as she initially seemed, she was still pretty miserable.

“Wait!” he called. She stopped and turned around, looking at him expectantly.

“I live pretty close.”

“What?”

“My building is only a few blocks away, I promise it’s not far. You could warm up there if you want.”

Riza immediately tried to suppress the smile that threatened to creep onto her face, remaining stoic. She really shouldn’t take his offer. It would be an imposition. Plus, the walk back to her apartment wouldn’t be any worse than anything that had already happened. Not to mention, she wasn’t supposed to like the man who got her dragged into a pond. But for once, she wanted to drop the facade; she let her smile peek through.

“Thank you, Roy.”

His shoulders relaxed a bit at her acceptance. “You know, you never actually told me your name.”

She met his eyes as he offered his arm to her, and their dogs happily rejoined each other.

“It’s Riza.”


	2. an afternoon in the townhouse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all like this update! The more I think about this story, the more it seems like it's going to be more than my originally planned chapters (because I'm thoroughly enjoying this AU and just want to add more lol). Let me know what you think!

“This is it.”

They turned off the street to walk up the steps to his townhouse. Roy realized he hadn’t even locked the door behind him, so they went straight through. The door to his messy office was still wide open, and he rushed to shut it before Riza could see inside. It would be just his luck that the beautiful young woman he managed to invite inside immediately saw that his workspace was a disaster. He heard Riza stop behind him, so he checked to see that she was still there.

She had bent down to pick up Hayate, who was sniffing around the room and inadvertently tracking mud across his floors. He sat comfortably in her arms, not squirming around as Yuki would in Roy’s. “I’m sorry about him.”

“Oh it’s fine,” Roy said. “I actually have a tub upstairs, if you want to rinse him off.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course, I’ll grab some towels.” He started to move further down the hallway before turning around. “You can place your shoes on the rack there, if you want.”

After collecting a few supplies, he led her up his staircase to the bathroom, with Yuki following close behind. It didn’t seem like she was going to leave the other dog alone anytime soon. Roy was relieved he had bothered to clean up there recently, and the room at least looked acceptable for a guest. Riza sat on the edge of the tub, placing Hayate inside. Yuki started to whine as he disappeared from her view.

“Quiet down,” Roy ordered gently.

“I’m not sure she’ll take no for an answer.” Riza said with an amused smile. She patted her legs, encouraging the dog to come to her. She picked her up and placed her down next to Hayate, apparently satisfying them both. 

Roy sighed. “It usually takes me an hour to get her in there.”

Riza tested the water temperature, waiting until it was warm enough to let the tub fill up slightly. They worked quietly side by side, Roy kneeling down to help shampoo the mud out of Hayate’s thick coat. Yuki seemed content to stand in the water and watch, since she had avoided getting dirty and didn’t actually need a bath. Eventually, Riza pulled the plug to let the dirty water run down the drain, and rinsed Hayate again to clean him off. Once the water was completely drained again, Roy gathered up the towels. 

They sat beside each other on the floor of his bathroom, wrapping up their pets to dry them off. It became very obvious that she was a much better trainer, as Hayate sat still, letting her rub him down and run the brush Roy provided through his fur. Meanwhile, Yuki kept trying to shake herself dry; as if they weren’t already disheveled enough, they kept getting splashed with the water. He was eventually able to calm her down too, once Riza let Hayate go and he promptly sat right next to Yuki. 

“We might have a problem,” he said.

She immediately turned to him, concerned. “What is it?”

“I’m not sure that my dog is going to let your dog go.”

“I see,” she said with a laugh. She started to stand and brushed a bit of fur off her skirt. “Though I’m not sure how long Hayate will make it without his dinner.”

They descended the stairs slowly, allowing the two dogs to brush past and race down the hallway, into his living room. Riza hesitated when they reached the bottom of the stairs, not sure that she should follow further into his home. She shivered slightly, realizing that only the steam in the bathroom had been keeping her warm.

“I don’t want to impose too long,” she said, reaching for the leash she had left on his wall hooks. “Thank you, Roy.”

“Oh, well, if you’d like…” He hesitated. “I just mean to say that—or I mean I was going to offer—um…” 

Riza was looking at him with confusion, and Roy knew it probably seemed like he was having a stroke. He sighed heavily. The water from his clothes was dripping onto the floor and he realized he still looked the same as when she had been laughing at him in the park.

“Why am I so useless like this?” he muttered. He hadn’t even meant for it to come out.

“You mean when you’re soaking wet?” she asked. There was a hint of humor in her voice.

“I guess that’s true as well,” he agreed, red-faced. “But I really meant that I’m useless when I’m trying to talk to a beautiful woman.”

Riza blinked in surprise. “Is that line supposed to work?”

“I wouldn’t call it a line because I didn’t mean to say that out loud.” His face reddened even more and Riza felt a tinge of sympathy.

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you. And to be fair, I thought you looked quite handsome before you fell in the pond.”

“But not anymore?”

“I didn’t say that.” A smile graced her lips again. Roy managed to meet her eyes with a small smile of his own.

“What I was trying to say before was that you don’t have to leave,” he started. “You certainly can, but I was going to start a fire to try to warm up and I have clean clothes if you’d like to change.”

“Are you sure I wouldn’t be interrupting anything? It is the middle of the afternoon.” Riza didn’t want to sound like she was rejecting his offer, but she also didn’t want Roy to suddenly remember he had work to do after she settled in.

“Oh no, I’m a writer so I can work whenever I want. I didn’t have any other plans for the day.”

“Then I would be happy to stay.” Roy’s smile widened almost imperceptibly. “I wouldn’t want to separate our poor dogs,” Riza added hastily.

* * *

“Here you go,” Roy said as he handed her a fresh cup of tea.

“Thanks.”

Riza had changed out of her wet clothes and into a sweater and loose pants he had offered. They had laid their clothes on a drying rack in front of his fire, and underneath, Hayate and Yuki were curled up together on a dog bed. Roy pulled the shared blanket over his legs as he settled next to her on his couch.

“I should have asked before, but you’re not missing anything important right now, are you?” 

He wasn’t sure if Riza had a job (though her clothes and demeanor seemed to suggest she was a professional) and he didn’t like to assume either way. It was a changing era after all, plenty of young women had jobs. Even if she didn’t have a job, she probably still had friends and family with plenty of plans. 

“No, my boss actually gave me the afternoon off today.” She took a sip of the piping tea.

“Where do you work?”

“I’m a personal secretary at city hall,” Riza answered simply. That was intriguing since Roy often wrote about political matters, but she didn’t seem particularly inclined to elaborate.

“Well your boss at least seems nice.”

She scoffed. “This is about the only nice thing the mayor has ever done.”

“You’re Mayor Bradley’s secretary!?” Roy exclaimed.

“I take it you don’t like him?” Riza asked, slightly amused.

“Well I wouldn’t want to get political, but-”

“I’m not a particular fan of him either, Roy. I didn’t even vote for him,” she explained. 

“Then why would you work for him?”

Riza placed her cup down on the side table. She had her own qualms about her job, but it was frustrating when anyone questioned it. She didn’t have much of a choice, not to mention that everything she did was an attempt to keep the mayor on the right track. Roy seemed genuine though, just curious rather than critical.

“There aren’t many other opportunities, so it’s where I’m stuck right now,” she sighed.

Roy nodded, noting that she seemed hesitant about the subject. It would be rude to push it any further. Besides, he really liked Riza. She had accepted his apology for the incident at the park, even though it was entirely his fault, and they were able to bond over it. 

He also reasoned that she wouldn’t have accepted his invitation inside if she had a boyfriend. Madame Christmas raised him not to view every woman he met as a potential date, and he certainly didn’t since a majority of the women he knew were like sisters to him. But his aunt also claimed Roy was becoming chronically single, and that even at the tender age of 28, his bachelorhood was going to become incurable. He usually ignored her gripes, but now she didn’t seem so wrong.

“How long have you had Hayate?” he asked.

That got a smile out of her. “About a year. A friend found him in the street, but his landlord wouldn’t allow any pets.” 

“Yuki was a stray too. Though it seems like you’ve had much more success in training,” he joked. “She was so shy at first I could barely get her out the door. She likes people, but still usually runs away from other dogs.”

“I think I managed to break that habit for you,” Riza said. Their dogs seemed to be fast asleep, with Hayate’s head nestled into Yuki’s neck. “The key to training is making sure they know who’s in charge.”

Roy huffed, but the corners of his lips quirked up. “That might be a problem, because Yuki definitely thinks I’m her pet.” 

Riza let out a warm laugh. It wasn’t boisterous or raucous, but it was certainly genuine. It made Roy feel like he should keep doing things to make her laugh forever.

“What’s this?” Riza suddenly sat forward and reached toward the table in front of them. Roy realized that his pile of newspaper clippings was scattered all over, drawing her attention.

“Oh nothing, my aunt just likes to tease me-”

“You wrote all these?” She had picked up a few to examine, and sure enough, his name was written just below the title in each clipping.

“My aunt always sends me these when she finds something I’ve written. It’s silly, but she says I get published so rarely that it’s always a special occasion when I do.” His words were in jest, but they held a truth that Riza could tell was slightly bitter.

“So you write for the Central Gazette,” she observed, glancing at him sideways. “It’s no wonder you hate Bradley.”

“I won’t hold your employer against you if you don’t hold mine against me,” he chuckled. “And if anything, we’re not hard enough on him. I wrote a scathing piece on his terrible city budget last year but the editor wouldn’t even look at it, much less print it.”

“It was pretty terrible,” she agreed. “But you didn’t see how much worse his first draft was.” Roy smiled at the conspiratorial look in her eye. 

They fell into comfortable periods of conversation and silence, alternating between comments on their dogs and stolen glances. The tea had gone cold, but it was long forgotten. At some point Roy tuned his radio to a music station, filling the room with soft music that blended with the crackling fire. Eventually, Riza pulled the blanket off her legs, insisting she should get home. Roy offered to walk her, but she claimed she would be fine. They settled on calling a cab since she and Hayate were finally dry enough. 

With her own clothes back on and Hayate pried away from Yuki, Riza approached the front door. Roy followed behind her, insisting that he at least walk her out to her taxi. Before he pulled open the door, she turned around.

“You’re not going to make me ask you out, are you Roy?”

“W-what?” he choked out.

She let out a small laugh. “Well you already took me upstairs in your home and gave me your clothes, but I can’t know for sure whether you just wanted to repay me for earlier, or if you had any other intentions. It wouldn’t be very gentlemanly to leave me guessing or force me to make the first move.” The teasing smirk on her lips made him realize that she wasn’t berating him, she was flirting. 

“I did call you beautiful earlier, I thought that was very clear,” he flirted back, deciding to play along with her banter. “And I didn’t think you were the kind of woman who would want to strictly follow dating etiquette.”

Riza bit her cheek to try to stop the pink blush spreading across her cheeks. “You’re right, most of it is ridiculous and outdated. But that doesn’t mean I would mind if you, well-”

She sucked in a breath, suddenly flustered. She was never so bold talking to anyone because few men would take kindly to it, but Roy was different. Now, whatever confidence she had built up to flirt with him was gone. Riza couldn’t believe she lost her nerve, just like that. 

“You wouldn’t mind if I called you?” he supplied. Riza shook her head. “And you wouldn’t mind if when I called, I asked to see you again?” She shook her head again.

“Well we can’t keep them separated too long,” she said, gesturing toward the floor where Hayate and Yuki were sitting patiently together. “It would be cruel.”

“Of course. Neither of us could bear a heartbroken Shibu Inu.” 

“Then they’ll have to see each other soon.”

“I’ll hold you to that, Miss Hawkeye.”


	3. a date on the town

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy this update! As a side note, I didn't explicitly state the time period at all, but I was imagining it to be the same as the original 101 Dalmatians, which puts us in the late 1950s. That might add some extra context and clear up a few things in the story :) happy reading!

Central City Hall was a very elegant building. The lawn out front was well-kept and the marble exterior gleamed as the sun beat down. Columns framed the entryway, leading up toward the large dome at the top. Roy knew that inside, the rotunda looked just as grand. But he had no plans to enter. He was waiting outside, as instructed, and busied himself with looking through his notepad. There were just random ideas scribbled down in his barely-legible handwriting, but there was a chance one of them could lead somewhere.

He had to go into the office that morning for a few meetings and hadn’t gone home afterwards to drop his notes (or Yuki, who was sitting at his feet) off. Luckily, he had already been dressed up for the day, but unluckily, Hughes had noticed and asked what the occasion was. He managed to weasel the information out eventually, after intense pestering; Roy had a date. 

As if he wasn’t nervous enough already, his best friend told all their coworkers that Roy finally found someone. That led to the topic of Hughes’ own family, and Roy was left to listen to him brag and gloat. The only good to come out of the situation was that everyone made sure he left the office with plenty of time to make the walk to city hall. 

Roy tugged at his collar. He didn’t usually mind wearing suits and hats and everything required to look professional, but at the moment it all felt suffocating. His wish had been granted for spring to arrive, with an unexpected heat wave rolling in since the previous week. As nice as the weather seemed, it was only making him sweat. He hadn’t been on a date in awhile, and the last time it was only to humor one of Madame Christmas’ girls, who insisted her friend would be a perfect match for him. Needless to say, she wasn’t. 

Considering the little mind he typically paid to his own romantic life, his thoughts of Riza had been overwhelming. Every time he passed someone in the street, he looked closer just to make sure it wasn’t her. Yuki seemed to be doing the same, looking for Black Hayate as if he would be around every corner. Roy had hardly waited an hour after she left to call the number she gave him, asking which days she was free. 

Unfortunately, her week (meaning the mayor’s) was incredibly busy. Roy considered waiting for the perfect time to be able to take her to dinner and plan a perfect evening, but his own impatience got in the way. The moment she said her lunch break on Wednesday might be slightly longer than usual, he leapt at the opportunity. 

Roy straightened his posture as he saw the doors open and Riza walk out. She was chatting with the man who held the door open in front of her, so she hadn’t seen him yet. The man was around her height, but much stockier. 

“You’re already blushing,” Breda teased.

“I am not. It’s just lunch,” she insisted. 

“So you’re not serious about him?”

“I didn’t say that, I’m not sure yet. You know I don’t do this very often.” Riza stepped out onto the sidewalk, looking back at the building. “Contrary to what people might think, I didn’t take this job to meet men.”

“Well either way, it’ll be a shame if we lose you.” At that, Breda moved to walk away, planning to grab lunch at his favorite deli.

“Why do you say that?” she called. He paused for a moment.

“I just mean if you get married and have to retire, this whole place might fall apart.”

Riza frowned. It wasn’t as if she had never thought about marriage; as a young woman, it was almost impossible to ignore the one thing everyone expected of her. Still, she knew she could never be compelled to marry someone who would demand that she stop working. Even if she wanted to have a family and begin staying home, it had to be her choice. 

She pulled her thoughts away as she noticed Breda had left. He had just made a joke, that was all. It didn’t mean anything. She turned slightly and immediately spotted Roy out of the corner of her eye. He offered a friendly wave that put a smile on her face. 

“Sorry I kept you waiting,” she said.

“Not at all, the weather’s so nice anyway, it would be a shame to miss it.”

“So where are we going then?” she asked, straightening again after bending down to greet Yuki.

“That’s still a surprise. But I thought I would at least try to make good on our deal.”

“What deal?” There was a crinkle between her eyebrows as she tried to recall what he might be talking about.

“To reunite our lovesick dogs, of course.”

Riza laughed. “Right, of course, that’s the whole reason we’re doing this, isn’t it?” she said sarcastically. “Unfortunately, I don’t have Hayate with me at work. The mayor is quite strict about animals.”

“That’s a shame, I firmly believe dogs improve any office. But if you live close enough, I thought you might want to go get him.”

“Really? You wouldn’t mind?”

“Not at all, I’m not sure Yuki would forgive me if I got to see you and she didn’t get to see him,” he chuckled.

“I guess I’ll lead the way then.” 

Riza’s apartment was only a few blocks away. They walked arm in arm down the street until they reached the building, and Roy waited outside. Apparently her landlady was quite nosy and didn’t like her young tenants bringing up guests, especially men. It only took a few short minutes for Riza to come back down with Hayate running excitedly by her feet. The couple tried to coax their dogs away so they could get on with their date, but they were simply too excited to be reunited. 

Eventually Riza was able to get Hayate to start walking, and Roy ended up being pulled along by Yuki, who was eager to catch up. They made their way toward downtown as Roy steered her toward a small corner cafe. She realized that it was the only restaurant in the area that had outdoor seating, allowing them to sit with their dogs. 

“This was clever,” she complimented as she removed her gloves. Hayate and Yuki had laid down together in a sunny spot, looking perfectly content. 

“It’s lucky we have such nice weather,” he said. “And as a bonus, this place has the second best food in the city.”

“Only the second? Are you saving the best for someone else?” she teased. 

“The best food in the city is from my aunt’s bar, I didn’t think it would be appropriate to take you there on the very first date,” Roy explained as he handed her a menu.

“Oh,” she answered. “Your aunt owns a bar herself?”

“Since I was little. I know it might sound a bit weird-”

“No, not at all,” Riza reassured him. “It sounds wonderful. But you’re right, not for a first date.”

Soon enough, their food arrived. It was delicious as Roy promised, and made Riza curious as to when she might try his aunt’s allegedly better fare. She knew she was getting ahead of herself, but as he told her about being raised by such a strong woman, Riza couldn’t help but think that he was the type of person who would respect her independence. 

They chatted about their hobbies and books they had recently read, until the conversation ultimately turned toward work. Roy told her a story about how when he first started working for The Gazette, he had almost been assigned to the gossip and society section. His friend Mr. Hughes thought he would be able to pick up some scandalous stories from the bar. Instead, he managed to track down a judge who had been accepting bribes, and was assigned to write about local politics and government. 

“I remember that story, it was around when I moved to Central,” Riza said. “It wasn’t the most encouraging thing to hear right when I was starting to work for the city government.”

“Well not everyone there is bad,” Roy replied, meeting her eyes. “Obviously.”

Riza’s face reddened slightly as she broke their eye contact, trying to fight off a smile. “I’m not sure I believe that you never date. You’re too much of a flirt.”

“I promise I’m not really a flirt, I’m just trying to make sure you don’t think I’m just an idiot who falls into ponds,” he laughed.

“I’ve already forgiven you for that,” she insisted. “And I think we have someone else to blame anyway.” Yuki looked up innocently from her spot on the ground, eliciting a laugh from the couple. 

“I think he’ll be a good influence on her,” Roy said, gesturing toward Hayate. He never batted an eye at any of the many pedestrians or other animals walking down the street. 

A church bell sounded and Riza suddenly straightened. “Do you have the time?”

Roy pulled his sleeve back to reveal the watch on his wrist. “It’s just one o’clock now.”

Her eyes widened and she started to stand. “I’m so sorry, but I have to go. I’m already late.”

She had left city hall right after the mayor’s meeting ended at 11:30. She had only expected to be out for an hour, giving her plenty of time to get back. Now her break had ended and if anyone in the office went looking for her, she was halfway across the city. Roy frowned, trying to figure out what to do. He certainly didn’t want to be the reason for any more trouble, but they had both simply lost track of the time.

“I’ll get you a cab, that will get you back faster. No one will even notice.”

“I still have to take Hayate back. I might as well just walk and deal with the consequences,” she said with a hint of defeat.

“I can take him!” Roy barely thought through the words before they came out of his mouth. 

“What?”

“I can take them back to the office with me for the day. It’s no trouble, really.” He left a few large bills on the table to cover their food (and a sizable tip) before walking over to the street to hail a taxi.

“If you’re sure,” Riza said hesitantly. Roy nodded.

“Don’t worry. I’ll come by city hall when I’m done and I can walk you home. I mean, I can, but I’m not telling you that you have to, I just-” He hesitated when he realized he might sound like he was giving orders in his eagerness to help.

“Thank you, Roy,” Riza said softly. A car pulled up to them and she pulled the door open. Before she got in, she leaned up to press a quick kiss to his cheek. 

Before Roy recovered, the taxi had pulled away and Hayate was looking around curiously at his mistress’ sudden disappearance. He gathered both leashes and set on his way back toward the newspaper’s office. He knew Hughes was about to give him hell about dog sitting for his date in the middle of a work day, but he couldn’t bring himself to mind. After all, those two canines seemed to keep bringing him and Riza together.


	4. an argument at the bar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it turns out I'm way more invested in this AU than originally planned (because I initially wrote the first 2 chapters as a completed two-shot lol). Now we get to have an actual plot and conflict, and I really couldn't help myself from sprinkling in some angst with this chapter!

“You’re here early,” Madame Christmas greeted. “We’re not even open yet.”

“I was hoping that wouldn’t be a problem, since I’m your beloved nephew.” Roy leaned against the bar, putting on a charming smile.

“I’ll allow it,” she said. “Only because you brought Riza.” She moved around the counter to hug the younger woman.

“Hello Chris,” Riza replied, gently returning the embrace. 

“I hope you’re ready to celebrate. We’ve all been waiting for you to stop working for that pig. Now maybe you’ll find someone who deserves you.”

Riza smiled in response. She hadn’t expected Roy’s aunt to warm up to her as quickly as she had. At first, Riza figured it was because Chris was just happy he was going steady with someone, no matter who she was. However, it soon became clear they had a lot in common and struck up a genuine friendship.

It wasn’t just meeting his aunt that had gone well either, it was everything. Somehow, they were a perfect match. Roy managed to bring out her adventurous side, while Riza’s drier wit kept him on his toes. They made time for each other despite their busy schedules and discovered a tendency to get lost in their conversations. 

In one instance, Roy had cooked Riza dinner at his townhouse and they accidentally stayed up until the early morning hours talking about their beliefs and dreams. Riza had even revealed that her grandfather helped her find a job at city hall, hoping to make connections with important people for him. She turned out to be wholly efficient and was selected by the mayor himself for her position. Her voice had lowered as she told him that Bradley was embroiled in a few would-be scandals that he quickly extinguished. In one case, a woman had come forward claiming that Bradley was the father of her son, but he had denied everything and threatened their family. She had made sure to direct the mother to a decent place to stay and get her a one way ticket out of Central to somewhere safer. Riza knew she couldn’t just quit and leave him unchecked to his devices, but she also couldn’t stand to play a part in his corruption anymore.

Roy commiserated with her situation, explaining how he believed his own newspaper was in the pocket of various politicians. He had been denied the opportunity to write a number of damning stories about many notable people in the city. They both hated that their opportunities to do good were being wasted on supporting those that cared more about holding onto power than the city itself. Still, they reassured each other that they were doing the best they could under the circumstances. 

That had been months ago, and since then Roy and Riza developed a happy routine. They would meet for lunch as often as possible and had dinner at least once a week. On a few special occasions, Madame Christmas had insisted on hosting for the night (if Maes and Gracia hadn’t already begged for a double date). Of course, Hayate and Yuki were present more times than not. Wherever anyone asked how serious the couple was, they would joke that they had to stay together because their dogs had become so inseparable and were falling in love themselves.

“Riza! It’s so good to see you!” a voice called from behind them. Roy and Riza turned around quickly.

“You too, Madeline.” Riza was fond of all the girls who worked for Chris, but Madeline had seemed to become particularly attached to her.

“Roy is going to have to let me steal you away for a bit, I have something so funny to show you.”

“Don’t worry, I have to talk to Chris about something anyway. I’ll give you a minute,” he said, disappearing behind the bar and into the back with Hayate and Yuki chasing after him.

Madeline immediately slapped a magazine onto the counter and started flipping through the pages. Riza saw that it was full of homemaking ideas and wondered what could be so funny in it. She found the right page quickly and moved so Riza could see the article she was pointing to.

“What is this? ‘129 Ways to Get a Husband?’” she read.

“Look at the first way!”

Riza looked down toward the list.

_1\. Get a dog and walk it._

She looked back up to see Madeline giggling. “Isn’t it so funny?”

“I don’t know what you mean. Roy and I met months ago and this magazine is from last week,” Riza said, trying to brush off the implication.

“Exactly, that’s what makes it such a coincidence! And isn’t it crazy that it actually works?”

“I couldn’t say if any of these tips work, since I’m not married,” Riza insisted. “Most of them are ridiculous too. Look, here it recommends getting a sunburn or carrying around a hatbox to meet a man. And that aside, I got Hayate to have a loyal companion, not so I could get a husband.”

“Well now you could have both,” Madeline teased. “Come on, Riza. You guys are here to celebrate you quitting your job, it’s only a matter of time.”

Riza frowned. She knew a lot of the young women who worked at the bar (and many women her age who worked in general) planned to get married and retire. She couldn’t judge them at all since it was simply what was expected, and in many cases, the only stable option. Except she had actually quit because she couldn’t stand working for Mayor Bradley anymore and was actively looking for a new job. 

She told herself Madeline was only having a bit of fun; after all, it really was a coincidence that the magazine described exactly how she had met Roy. But Riza couldn’t shake the thought that all this time, Roy had been encouraging her so much. He was a supportive man through and through, and when she had finally come around to the idea of really leaving city hall, he seemed ecstatic. But looking back, she wondered if his enthusiasm came with the expectation that she wouldn’t actually find another job, and would in turn have to fully rely on him if they got married. He had even suggested that she wait awhile before committing to a new position… 

_Why are you even thinking like this? You know he’s not like that,_ she told herself. _He was raised by Madame Christmas herself and this relationship has been too good for you to doubt him now._

_But plenty of men change once they become husbands,_ the cynical part of her argued. _Can you really trust that he wants you as you are, not as how he expects you to be as a wife?_

“Is everything alright?” Madeline asked curiously. 

“Yes, sorry,” Riza replied, realizing she had gotten lost in her thoughts. “Excuse me, I think I need to splash some water on my face.”

She got up and headed toward the private restroom. She assumed Roy and Chris were in her office discussing business, and that would buy her a bit of time to sort herself out. Sometimes Riza really regretted that her mind seemed to work overtime on every thought, but it had protected her from getting hurt in the past. She only hoped that wouldn’t be necessary now.

* * *

“Of course I’ll give it to you,” Chris told Roy. “Honestly, I would give it straight to her if I could. I’m not sure I trust you as the middleman.”

He frowned. “I think getting someone else to propose for you is frowned upon. I already have a plan and I’m sure I can handle it myself.”

“You better. It took you almost 29 years to find Riza and I won’t forgive you if you let her get away.” Chris gave him a hard look as she handed him the small velvet box.

He smiled while pocketing it. “I won’t. Besides, I think your girls would be the ones to chase her away, not me. That reminds me, I should probably check-”

He stopped as the door swung open and Riza stepped into the private dining room. She looked surprised and practically blanched at the sight of him. 

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I just thought you would be in the office, sorry.”

“There’s no problem, we were actually just finished talking,” Chris said as she brushed past her toward the door. “I’ll send someone back in a bit for your food. Until then, just make sure those dogs don’t get into my main dining room or the bar.”

When the door closed behind her, Riza moved to sit at the small table across from Roy. He noticed that she hadn’t met his eyes and seemed to be busying herself refolding her napkin and scratching between Hayate’s ears.

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” she said quickly.

“Are you sure? There’s nothing I could help with?”

She studied his face briefly before straightening her back and leaning back slightly. “Roy, why did you want me to quit so badly?”

“There were a lot of reasons,” he answered. He was looking at her curiously, as if he knew there was something more to her question. “We’ve talked about it plenty. Bradley is terrible and he didn’t deserve you helping him any longer.”

“Yeah,” she replied quietly. “But then, why didn’t you think I should take that job with Ms. Armstrong? It’s probably the best opportunity I could have asked for.”

Roy frowned. He had a very good reason for not wanting Riza to take that job, but he didn’t think this was the right moment to tell her. There was a whole plan he had come up with and he didn’t want to ruin it already.

“Well I don’t exactly like Olivier either. The Armstrongs are obscenely rich and have had some shady business dealings. I just didn’t think she would be good enough for you.” Roy wasn’t exactly lying since everything he said was true. But leaving out so much made his words taste bitter, and part of him knew it could come back to bite him.

“Then who is?” she challenged. “Who do you think is okay for me to work for?”

“It’s not about who I think is okay,” Roy said, his expression growing concerned. He realized his words must seem like a huge contradiction to Riza’s ears.

“It certainly seems like it is. And isn’t it hypocritical of you to stay with the newspaper?” Her eyebrows were drawn together and her lips were pulled tight. It was the same expression she had when telling him about a bad day at work. Now he was the cause, and her eyes weren’t just full of annoyance, but something he thought was more like confusion and sadness.

“What are you really trying to ask me, Riza?” he questioned cautiously. They were teetering on the edge of having a full blown argument, and he would rather get straight to the problem than dance around whatever the true issue was.

“I just want to know why you seem to have such a problem with all these jobs, and why you seem so content for me to stay at home and do nothing,” she answered, her voice rising slightly. “Is that how you picture our life together? Do you expect me to just raise your children and do whatever you tell me to?”

“Is that really what you think of me?” he asked quietly. Whatever defensiveness there had been in his voice before was gone. Instead, his words were full of pained disbelief. “You think I would just...manipulate you like that?”

Riza’s face fell. Of course she didn’t think that. She had said more than she ever intended to and realized how distrustful she must seem to him. Still, the part of her that was scared said she was right to be distrustful, especially considering how Roy was dodging her questions. All the conflict made her eyes burn as tears threatened to well up.

“I’m sorry, but just please explain to me what’s going on so I can be sure I’m wrong,” she asked softly.

“I can’t, I-” Roy stopped himself. Saying something like that would only make things worse. He couldn’t lie to Riza, not when she was already concerned about his intentions toward her. His hand drifted to the pocket that held the box from Madame Christmas. He couldn’t use that either, it simply wouldn’t be right. Even if he tried to explain everything, since this was obviously a misunderstanding, he would probably mess it all up. Roy could practically taste everything falling apart.

“Then I think I should go.” Her voice didn’t even qualify as a whisper, and it wasn’t enough to pull Roy from his thoughts.

“Come, Hayate,” Riza said softly as she approached the door. He didn’t budge from his place curled up with Yuki in the dog bed Roy had bought to keep at the bar. She raised her voice and spoke more firmly. “Hayate.”

He reluctantly got up and followed. Roy’s eyes suddenly snapped toward the door as it shut behind her, and he realized she really was leaving. His hand once again reached toward his pocket, but when he pulled the box out, he left it on the table. Roy knew he had to leave the temptation behind as he went after her.

“Riza, wait,” he called. 

She glanced back at him from her place at the front door, one foot already out in the street. She didn’t say anything, simply waiting for him to continue.

“I promise you, this isn’t what you think. I would never ask you to abandon your work for me, please believe that.” Roy made his way around the bar and toward Riza. “I told Hughes earlier that I’m handing in my two week’s notice soon. This is all just…a huge misunderstanding.”

“I really want to trust you, Roy, and I already do so much that it scares me. You don’t understand how it feels to risk losing yourself to someone when that’s what you’ve been avoiding your whole life,” Riza explained. He could see the concern and uncertainty in her eyes. 

“I know. I know I’ll never understand being in your position. But I love you, and I would rather lose all the happiness you’ve brought me than be the one to make you unhappy.” Roy kept moving until he was right in front of her. 

Riza gasped softly. That wasn’t the first time he had said he loved her, and she had said it back plenty of times before. However, his pleading look made the words seem like a solemn promise. She took a step back into the building and closed the door again. Riza sighed as she thought back to everything they had been through, back to the beginning. How could she think that the man who had clumsily pulled her into a pond and spent every day since apologizing would betray her now?

“I love you too,” she said. “I’m an idiot, aren’t I?”

“You’re the furthest thing from an idiot. Besides, I should have realized how difficult this whole situation must be for you,” he admitted as he took the hand she held out to him. “The last thing I want is to be a man that holds you down.”

“I know,” she replied. A small smile crept onto her face. “I guess it was just a matter of time before we had a big fight. Our lives are much more complicated than theirs.”

Roy followed her gaze down toward Hayate and Yuki, who were already exploring the room together, completely oblivious to the couple. 

“Well no offense to them, but I’m perfectly happy with my complicated, messy, human life. As long as it’s with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: the magazine article that Madeline shows Riza is actually real. You can look it up and see all the hilarious (but also kinda sad) suggestions for how to find a husband in 1958. When I saw it a few weeks ago and the actual first suggestion included a dog, I knew I had to use it for this story (I mean, it really was a _huge_ coincidence). It also perfectly helped set up the conflict too, so I'm equal parts grateful and appalled for that article (honestly look it up, it's insane).
> 
> Speaking of, I really felt like Riza and Roy's contrasting feelings about the future/marriage would have to be brought up more, since in this setting they're not exactly on equal footing. We all know that Royai is the ultimate ship for mutual respect and trust, but they still had some things to work through here. I hope I handled that argument clearly :) The discussion also obviously isn't over yet, so don't worry if it doesn't feel super resolved.
> 
> As always, please feel free to let me know what you think! I love hearing your opinions, and I can promise more fluff in the future!


	5. a proposal at the pond

Chilly autumn air had finally been ushered in to Central City, but this one night seemed to be a warmer reprieve. Riza claimed she didn’t mind the cold, but Roy was adamantly still clinging to summer despite the season passing months ago. Hayate and Yuki paid no mind to the weather, being just as happy playing in sand or snow. 

Roy was relieved that they didn’t have to be completely bundled up for their walk in the park, even as the sun started to set. He could easily slide his jacket off to put around Riza’s shoulders if the need arose, but for now, they were both comfortable. That was lucky, since the thoughts reeling in his mind were a poor reflection of the calm and content weather around him. 

He finally found the perfect time and the perfect place, but he was still laughably nervous. Chris had a point, he realized; maybe she should have just given Riza the ring herself and let Roy stay on the sidelines. 

The woman in question was completely oblivious to his panicking. Riza was laughing as Hayate and Yuki weaved around her feet together. Hardly anyone else was around, so they were both off their leashes. She had claimed that Roy walking his own dog around the park was a safety hazard, earning a sideways glance from him. Either way, Riza had been a good enough influence that Yuki was now just as well-behaved as her partner.

Roy hung his arm loosely around her shoulder, allowing him to steer their small group over toward a familiar bench with a clear view of the pond. They sat down comfortably as Hayate and Yuki continued to play around and chase some leaves blowing in the wind. The couple had been spending more time together over the last few days because Riza’s part-time work at her friend’s office had been relatively relaxed, and Roy’s contract with the newspaper finally expired.

Things had cooled down since their night at Madame Christmas’ bar. They hadn’t stayed long, deciding the conversation they needed to have warranted more privacy than his aunt and sisters’ prying ears would allow. After returning to his townhouse, Riza sheepishly explained Madeline’s jokes that led to her doubts. She admitted they had been fairly unfounded, but Roy understood. He made it clear he wanted the best for her, and she was the only one who could dictate what that meant. She had been so relieved to clear the air, and ultimately stayed the night. She complained that Black Hayate was getting spoiled spending so much time with Yuki, but they both knew no one in their little family minded.

Roy shifted around so he was facing Riza more directly. “So I’ve been thinking,” he began.

“Oh dear, this can’t be good,” she joked dryly.

Roy huffed at her comment and continued. “Anyway, I’ve been thinking, and I have a proposal for you. More like two, since it’s like a two-part idea.”

“I’m listening,” she said, leaning down to scratch between Yuki’s ears.

“Well, we’re both looking for permanent work right now. And we both want it to be much more fulfilling than our previous jobs, right?”

Riza nodded along. “Definitely, and hopefully less boring than making copies all day. ”

“Of course. I always knew I wanted to be a writer, but I didn’t realize how much control other people would have over what I wrote. I wouldn’t be happy taking another job at a different newspaper and running into the same exact issue, just with another set of editors.”

“The same way I don’t want to have another bigoted, corrupt boss,” she agreed.

“Exactly. Which is why I think I’ve come up with a solution.” Roy produced a piece of paper from his pocket, handing it over for her to see.

“ _The Central Examiner: Shining the light on truth and lies_ ,” she read.

“I’m not completely sold on the slogan, but Jean thought it sounded good,” he commented.

“You want to start your own newspaper?” she asked in surprise. 

“It might seem just like a naive daydream, but I think it’s the best way to accomplish what I want. We would need investors, and more staff, and a way to print of course, but I think it’s possible.”

Riza smiled at his earnest, excited expression. “So this is a business proposal for me to work for you and get this off the ground?”

“It’s a proposal for you to work _with_ me,” he corrected. “You’ve seen the way I work, I’m pretty sure I need you to help me run things. Honestly, I should have you be in charge of the business side, and I’ll just write the stories. From the way I hear it, you’re a pretty well-connected person yourself.”

“You’re right, maybe I could even get Olivier Armstrong to invest,” she teased. 

“That’s not exactly what I had in mind,” he grumbled. “Though I actually think her brother would be interested in the idea of a local, independent newspaper. He’s always seemed like a nice man.”

Riza didn’t have to think very hard about agreeing to his plan. She realized he must have been thinking about this for a while, and stalling her search to settle down with another job must have been due to his desire for her to be a part of it.

“I agree,” Riza said. “And teasing aside, I think this is a wonderful idea. There’s nothing naive or childish about wanting to do right by the city. I would love to do this with you.” She took his hand, smoothing her thumb across his knuckles.

“I’m so glad,” he breathed out. “I’m not sure what I would have done if you said no. How about a celebratory treat, Hayate?”

His ears immediately perked up and Hayate returned to his side to receive whatever morsel Roy had. Riza always insisted he was far too liberal in rewarding their pets, especially when they had been misbehaving, but Roy simply argued he was allowed to be the fun parent if she insisted on being the tough one. 

“There you go, boy,” he offered. Hayate quickly but gently ate the biscuit out of his hand, and allowed Roy to scratch his ears and rub his nose a bit. Riza looked at their actions fondly; as much as her training style might clash with his, she couldn’t have found a more loving man, when it came to herself or her chosen companion. Her eyes lifted to Roy’s face and the contented smile on his lips. She was distracted enough by it that she didn’t even notice his hand slowly reaching into his pocket.

“Come here, Yuki,” she called, realizing it wasn’t exactly fair to feed Hayate and not her. She pulled out a treat from her purse, commanding the dog to sit and lay down before dropping the biscuit in front of her. Once that was done, Riza turned back toward Roy.

“You mentioned Mr. Havoc before, and I’m assuming you’ve talked to Maes about this as well,” she started. “So I’m guessing they’re on board with leaving The Gazette and helping out. Was your second proposal that I recruit some people I met at city hall? I think Mr. Breda and Mr. Falman could be convinced, they seemed a bit disillusioned with the political machine.”

“I think that would definitely be a smart move. Based on what you’ve told me about them, they would be great men to have working with us,” Roy agreed. “But that wasn’t my other proposal.”

“Then what was your other idea?”

“My second proposal is…well, it’s a proposal.”

Riza’s eyebrows were drawn together in confusion until Roy took her hand, leading her to stand up as he kneeled down in front of her. Realization dawned on her face.

“Riza,” he began. “You know how much I love working from home. The only thing that could make it better is working alongside my wife, in our home. I thought writing was my dream, but I think any dream of mine from now on has to have you in it.”

“Roy,” she breathed out. He turned toward Hayate, who was proudly sitting completely still at his side, head turned slightly up to support the ring placed on his nose. Riza laughed, realizing Roy was using the same trick she used to make Hayate wait for a treat.

“I want to support you in everything you want to do and take care of you as much as you’ll let me. I just want to be by your side, whether my grand plans take off or crash and burn, because I know I’ll be alright with you there. You’re the reason I even feel brave enough to do any of this.”

Roy held the ring up next to their joined hands, and she could see it’s simple and beautiful design. He saw her let go of a breath she had been holding again, but her smile encouraged him to continue. 

“You’ll never know how lucky I feel to have found you. I feel even luckier every time you tell me you love me and everyday we get to spend together. I couldn’t ask for anything more than to spend my life with you.”

“Roy-” she started again.

“I promise to keep loving you as long as you want me, and even beyond that because you’re the best thing that’s ever-”

“Roy!” she finally exclaimed. His words died on his lips as he prepared to hear her rejection. She saw his face fall and bent down to sit on the bench again, putting them closer to eye level with each other.

“If you keep going, you’ll run out of things to say in your vows,” she explained softly.

“So you’re saying yes?” he asked hopefully.

“You haven’t actually asked me anything yet,” she pointed out.

“Right,” he chuckled as his face reddened. “Will you marry me?”

“Of course.” She boldly pulled at his collar to bring his lips to hers. Roy didn’t resist at all, only breaking away briefly to slide the ring onto her finger before returning her kiss eagerly. It was so easy to forget the world around them when they were together, especially when Riza’s hands reached up to brush through his hair. Roy didn’t mind being at her mercy one bit. 

Riza laughed out of pure joy when they broke away again. Hayate fed on her excitement, jumping up to put his paws in her lap. She didn’t even think of ordering him down, enjoying the moment far too much to mind any misbehavior. 

“I hope you’re in the mood to celebrate,” Roy said.

She raised an eyebrow at him with a smirk. “That’s a bit presumptuous, Mr. Mustang.”

“I meant with Chris and the girls, they’re throwing us an engagement party tonight. Honestly, I had no idea I was proposing to a woman with such impure thoughts,” he mock-scolded.

Riza could only roll her eyes. “Oh please. If that’s how you feel, I’ll make sure to head home early. To my own apartment,” she added. She grabbed Hayate and Yuki’s leashes and stood, ready to head to the restaurant.

“Now wait a minute-”

“Come on, Roy! If you don’t catch up, you’ll be late to your own party!”

He rushed after her, quickly catching up. He knew she wasn’t going to leave him behind; they had just promised to spend the rest of their lives at each other’s sides, after all. Roy managed to lace his fingers in hers as they left the park while Riza let her head fall against his shoulder. Anyone passing them in the street could see their feelings clear as day; they were utterly in love.

**Author's Note:**

> Please feel free to let me know what you think! I am absolutely fueled by comments. I have a few more chapters planned as well, so be on the lookout for the next :)


End file.
